Follow-Up of Suicidal Behavior of Adolescent Psychiatric Inpatients

This study investigates the effectiveness of inpatient psychiatric treatment for the prevention of suicidal behavior. For nearly 2 years after discharge, all nonsuicidal subjects remained so & half of the suicidal subjects discontinued such behavior. Significant discriminating variables were prior substance abuse, good peer relations & Beck Depression Inventory scores. Of interest, was the finding that non-life-threatening suicidal behavior is really a form of pathological communication.(GW)